Ann
by j.elyse.96
Summary: I do not own Harvest Moon, it is the property of Natsume and its other creators. That said, this takes the heart scenes from Harvest Moon and tries to bring them to life and explain the motivations and lives of the characters. The speech is largely from the game itself, but the focus is on thoughts and implications of actions.
1. Strangers

I awoke to a simple bed in my father's inn and warm sun on my face. I rose and walked to my closet, grabbing my overalls and shirt. The only other thing in my closet was a slender white gown.  
_Mom's_.  
I braided my long red hair. I try tying it with a white bow.  
_I might as well attempt to be feminine, or the gown is useless. I'll still probably never wear it, but my father would prefer I try._  
I began my brisk walk out to the spring at the base of Mother's Hill.  
_My mother was so beautiful in that dress the day she married my dad_.  
I wasn't alive then, but I had seen pictures.  
_In truth, I barely remember her. She was a flicker of light, with a smile like a umm...firefly? Poetry really isn't me. I wonder if she wrote some. I'd ask dad but...if her smile is a firefly then his eyes are pools of...something sad. Yeah, I should stop trying._  
I chuckled at myself. I was by no means a stupid girl, but I certainly wasn't poetic. Not like Mary. I wasn't determined and strong like Elli, either, or blissful and dainty like Popuri.  
_Still, at least I can cook better than Karen._  
Thinking of Popuri...

P: "Ann! Wait up!"

_She usually joins me a little after I've set out._

A: "I thought you weren't coming today."

P: "I always come eventually, you just leave too early!"

A: "Well, be less slow."

P: "I have to feed the chickens every morning!"

I say nothing, and we walk along in a content silence. She never could stay quiet for long, however.

P: "Do you think your boyfriend will like chickens?"

I blush immediately.

A: "Who says I have to have a boyfriend? I'm not some little slip of a girl who needs a man to take care of her."

_Besides, no one would like a tomboy like me._  
She knew me well enough to see the comment in my mind.

P: "Well, what's wrong with being a little bit more feminine?"

She fluffed her shiny pink hair and pushed her arms together to make her breasts look slightly bigger, then released the pose and giggled.  
_She knew better than to push the boyfriend point. I get enough stress from my dad._  
I decided this was a good time for a run.

I arrived at the spring a few moments before Popuri. I took my place standing and watching the water and didn't notice a boy walking up behind me.

C: "Excuse me, miss."

A: "Sorry, do I know you? Ah, you're a new tenant for the inn, huh?

C: "Yes, Doug sent me here to find a girl that looked umm...well, are you Ann?

Just like my dad to send him to me. Hey, wait a minute!

A: "Looked like what!?"

C: "Don't yell at me!"

A: "Looked like what, then!?"

C: "Twiggish with carrot hair and a gap in her teeth. Found her."

A: "Excuse me! How dare you!"

See, I knew no one could like me. I saw him look down and sigh.

C: "Look, I'm sorry. I'm usually a gentleman, but I've been under a lot of stress from my family and..."

He could see I wasn't buying it.

A: "A gentleman! And here I thought you were a guest! Your name is what now?"

He looked hurt, so I added.

A: "I'm Ann."

C: "Cliff. I'm Cliff. I'll be in the inn."

He left. As he walked, no, stalked away, he brushed passed Popuri. She bowed back and stepped out of the way.

P: "Who was that? New tenant?"

A: "Yeah, named Cliff."

P: "So, how about today you wear your hair down. I can fix your makeup and..."

She practically bounced with excitement. I felt bad, but..

A: "No."

P: "But how often do people come here? And you have to admit, he does look interesting."

A: "No. He's a jerk."

P: "What happened?"

I pretended not to hear. She paced her usual spots, enjoying the exercise.

P: "The water is beautiful today, isn't it?"


	2. Black Heart Truce

Days passed, and we fell into sort of an unspoken schedule. It worked well for me. As I left for the spring, he would go off to wherever he went. I didn't care where, as long as it wasn't my spring. We saw each other for approximately ten minutes in the morning while leaving the inn, and ten minutes at night when he trudged back up stairs to his room. Before very long I started to feel a little bad for him, always looking so tired. Popuri came to stand near the inn's phone while I swept the floors.

A: "I just can't help but feel a little bad about him. He doesn't seem to have many friends."

P: "Well maybe it's because the first girl he met here started yelling."

A: "It isn't my fault that he's a jerk!"

P: "Isn't it, though?"

I glared, so she continued.

P: "Have you thought of trying to be a little kinder?"

Her mind was so simple. So straightforwards. Just...be nicer. No issues, just do it.

A: "It isn't that simple."

P: "Why not?"

She knows how I hate the way they talk about my tomboyishness. She knows I try not to talk to guys to avoid it. If she thinks it's that simple, well, maybe...

A: "Alright."

She smiled like the evil imp that she is and bounced out, disturbing the dust in her wake.

A: "Popuri!"

She was gone. An hour passed and I was finishing up cleaning. My father came downstairs to start serving customers.

D: "So, Ann, have you met anyone interesting recently?"

He had been avoiding direct confrontation about my meeting with Cliff until now, but I could tell he was curious.

A: "Well, there was a turtle in the spring yesterday."

D: "You've met Cliff, right?"

He was never very good at being subtle. I sighed and decided not to fight.

A: "Yes, I met him."

D: "And?"

A: "I don't like him."

D: "Just give him a chance, Annie. I'm sure you could start to if you two just talked."

And at that moment Cliff was shoved through the door by two thin arms who left, swinging pink hair behind them.

C: "But why am I..? Ann! Doug! Is everyone okay!? Popuri was babbling about a fire, and she pushed me in here, and...where is she?"

I remembered telling Popuri I'd be kinder. This was her doing.

_Well, I was always a 'woman of my word', as I was told Mom wanted. Still, a fire? Really?_

A: "Yeah, everyone's fine, she was just...umm...just ignore it. Welcome."

He seemed surprised and confused and honestly, it was satisfying seeing him so out of place.

_Wait, I'm supposed to be kind._

A: "Hey there, Cliff! Did you come to eat?"

It sounded forced to everyone except my dad, who seemed ecstatic.  
Cliff just nodded, eyes growing narrower with suspicion.

C: "I don't have the money for a meal."

He started to inch towards his room.

A: "Just wait one moment!"

_Kinder, Ann, kinder._

A: "Since you're new here, I think this one should be our treat!"

He was still leaving, so I pulled my dad along, too.

A: "What do you think, Dad?"

D: "Sure. Just make sure to come back often!"

A: "See? Why don't you stay and eat?"

He was still considering refusing until his stomach growled and betrayed him. He answered with forced cheeriness through clenched teeth.

C: "Sounds great!"

I matched his tone.

A: "Great! Make him your special, Dad!"

D: "Just leave it to me! This'll be the best thing you ever ate!"

He seemed confused. I took a breath and spoke quickly.

A: "I feel like I need to apologize for, you know, yelling."

_Even though you totally deserved it._

A: "Dad's a great cook, you know."

C: "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to upset anyone. I have this habit of alienation."

I nodded, and he moved to a table and sat down. We waited in neutral silence. He seemed really far away in his mind.  
_A habit of alienation? What does that even mean? And what is he staring at? It's almost like Mary when she's reading a good book. I wonder if he's remembering a story._  
My dad charged in.

D: "Here you are. Eat it while it's hot!"

I didn't want to upset him, and snapped back to upbeat attention.

A: "Here you are, Cliff!"

He started and looked at the food in front of him. He ate like a refugee, shoving everything in as quickly as he could like he thought we might change our mind and take it away. Dad seemed like he expected this.

D: "How does it taste?"

He provided the hint that Cliff should slow down while he ate. He did, but by that time it was mostly gone.

A: "Do you like it, Cliff?"

He nodded happily between bites. I felt a little awkward standing there and watching him eat.

D: "In that case, feel free to have seconds!"

Cliff closed his eyes contentedly, looking a little like a happy dog. It made me smile.

A: "You're the best, Dad!"

D: "Of course! Did you doubt me for a second?"

A: "Eat all you want."

D: "A working man has to eat a lot. I like watching you shovel it in like that! I've decided I like you, Cliff!"

Cliff had finally finished eating, and looked slightly unsure again. He seemed...guilty?

A: "Don't worry about paying us."

He was immediately relieved, but still looked far away. I felt bad for him.

A: "Just come back often! I'm always working here."

D: "Yeah, come any time and visit Ann. I can tell she'd like it."

Of course, Dad brings it back to that.

A: "Dad! Stop teasing me!"

He left to his room and Dad and I took the dishes to the sink. We washed them in silence, until...

D: "You noticed how he ate?"

A: "Impolitely."

D: "And that matters to you now?"

He laughed.

D: "He always eats like that. He isn't paying for his room, you know. He earned it with his life story. He shares Gray's room to help keep costs down."

A: "What could happen to earn that?"

D: "Why don't you ask him?"

We lapsed back into silence until I had put the dishes away. As I was leaving, I heard.

D: "You know, he's unconventional, too, Annie."

Our routine changed. We stayed in the same area a little longer in the mornings. He came to the inn a few minutes earlier. We started to talk. We both hate poisonous mushrooms and old cans. Pretty basic. We both like dogs, though he likes all animals. He hates curry powder but loves curry rice. I like truffle rice more. I like to cook and we both like to eat.  
_We became friends. No, acquaintances._  
After simple things like that came something more intangible. We both loved the clouds. We both wanted to fly. We both loved our families dearly. He doesn't swim, and I don't fish. Popuri saw us part ways every morning and teased me relentlessly on the way to the spring for at least a week. Gradually, she found other topics of conversation. We fell into comfortable familiarity. I saw happy, but I worried about Cliff a little more often. One night, he seemed more distant than usual and went straight to his room.  
_I put all this effort into being his friend and he thinks he's going to avoid me! Ha!_  
I marched into the room minutes later.

C: "Ha...?"

I walked straight past Gray.

A: "Hello, Cliff."

C: "Hi, Ann..."

A: "We haven't had much chance to talk, you know."

C: "...I guess."

_You guess!? Something had better be seriously bothering you, or so help me..._

A: "So, what brings you to this village?"

C: "...I don't really want to say..."

I took a breath and was about to yell when his voice cracked out.

C: "...Sorry..."

He sounded like he was going to cry.

A: "No...I'm sorry for asking! It's none of my business. Just let me know if you need anything, alright?"

He didn't reply, and Grey's presence kept me from forcing him.

A: "I have to get back to work."

C: "Oh, um..."

_If he thinks he's going to refuse to talk to me and still keep me here.._

A: "...What?"

C: "Thanks, Ann."

_Unexpected._

A: "Sure!"

_I totally know what you're talking about! Heh._  
I left.

G: "Dude, Ann? You like that tomboy?"

C: "Why, are you jealous of her?"

G: "Shut up."


End file.
